The Midnight Raiders
by Anima-Animal-Animality
Summary: You think you know the Midnight Raiders, but you don't. In this prequel, you'll learn abot the hopes and tragedies that brought the individuals together.
1. Hope for Uriel

A soft tune carries across the palace, it was a sad tune, yet full of hope. The source of the melody? It was the mermaid queen (human at the moment).

_"The sun's warm kisses against your skin,  
Spreading its beams, like a soft, gentle grin"_

The small baby in her arms, cooed and giggled. His black and red hair was pushed back from his forehead as he reached to grab his mother's finger.

_"You'll never know the salty sea breeze  
Or race down the beach, with a pair of skinned knees"_

The baby cocked his head in wonderment has he watched his mother's expression change. She smiled kindly at him and he giggled again.

_"A child belongs outside in fresh air,  
But your condition my darling, is all too unfair  
Skipping stones, and counting clouds  
For you, little Uriel, is not allowed."_

When her and her husband found out about their child's condition, they wondered, what was in store for him? What was his true destiny?

_"Oh my sweet boy,  
How you'll miss each childish joy."_

Ariel wastched as her king came into the nursery followed by seven people. Uriel stared in amazement as he smelled the outside.

_"I wish you could able to play outside,  
With the children who play seek and hide"_

"Hide and seek" Her husband corrected her. She gave a little laugh. "Oh that's right"

_"How can fate be so unjust  
To spend your days inside with dust"_

Max barked at a dust bunny that glided across the floor and baby Uriel began to cry. Ariel began to soothe him as she resumed singing.

_"Don't cry my dear, soon you'll hear your call  
Leave your mark on the world and stand so tall"_

Ariel looked to the oldest in the room, her father. She smiled at him as she gently placed her babe into his arms. Her sister began to sing to the baby, who began to bury his head into his grandfather's beard.

_"You'll have friends and family near  
At your side, so don't shed a tear"_

Uriel seemed to crave the sea and the outside. It was as if, even as a baby, he knew what was being sung to him. Ariel continued to sing.

_"Your life will be happy; to this I swear  
Really there is no need to despair!"_

King Triton smiled at his first grandson. Even though he was confused about why the child could not simply visit him, he couldn't help but like the fragile babe. He was just like Ariel when she was a baby. Laughing and giggling at many different things.

"Ariel," His eldest daughter, Attina spoke. "Why, couldn't Uriel come to the sea?" Ariel knew that the question Attina wanted to ask was 'Why must we walk on this horrible land' Attina never liked the land.

Ariel felt Eric's hand clamp down onto her shoulder, for support. He smiled at her, and urged her to tell her family the truth. Ariel took a deep breath. "I've tried Attina. I've tried multiple times, but everytime Uriel was brought outside, he caught a fever and began to cough up blood." Her father and sisters shot her a worried look.

"After he got better, we tried taking him out again, and the same thing would happen, except worse. We took him to the doctor and.." Eric trailed off, as he looked to Ariel. He didn't have the heart to tell his father-in-law, that his first grandson was......not very healthy.

"Well..the doctor said that....I forgot what he called it but....it's a weird sickness that won't allow Uriel to leave the palace walls. I'm sorry daddy" Ariel bent her head low. She was apologizing for the fact that she made him and her sisters come onto land just to tell them...this.

"Ariel, it's not your fault.....nor is it Eric's fault" Triton added when he saw Eric shift around uncomfortably, like the older king was going to blame him for the babe's bad condition. Arista, walked forward and gave her younger sister a comforting hug.

"It's alright Ariel, it's just bad luck. Maybe Uriel will grow out of it!" she said hopefully. Suddenly Aquata gripped her father's arm.

"Daddy, maybe the trident could help Uriel!"

"Yeah! It made Ariel legs, and us too! How could it not cure Uriel's condition?" Adrina added enthusiastically. Ariel looked to her father with hope in her eyes.

"Can it happen daddy?" King Triton scratched his beard as he held the infant in his arms.

"I suppose so. I've never tried before, but don't you think it would be safer to turn Uriel into a merchild and have him eat Poseidon's

Seaweed?"

"Poseidon's Seaweed? What's that?" Adella asked curiously.

"Poseidon's Seaweed, is a type of seaweed that is able to cure anything." Her father explained.

"Why can't you just bring the seaweed here?" Eric asked as the sea king placed Uriel into his hands.

"Because you could only take the seaweed underwater, or else it'll lose it's magical abilities." Alana explained. Eric just nodded as he set Uriel into his crib.

"Daddy, did you even bring the Trident?" Ariel asked scanning the room for the large object. Her father gave a small chuckle.

"Ariel, I always bring my trident with me." The King explained as he slipped a ring off from his finger._ When did he get a ring? _Ariel asked herself. She was surprised when the gold ring began to change shape and grow larger. After a few seconds the trident appeared ready in King Triton's hands.

He wielded the magical item in his right hand and pointed it to the infant. Uriel's eyes widened in amazement as he saw a golden light.

After the light faded, Uriel stared at the confused faces of the adults. His mother had tears in her eyes. What happened?

"What happened, dad?" Attina asked with such confusion in her voice.

The king sounded grave when he spoke the next words, "Nothing happened"

"But Daddy, the Trident always works, always! Why didn't Uriel change?" Ariel's voice was full of disbelief. Her father shook his head slowly.

"I don't get it." But he did. So did everyone else. Uriel could not be affected by magic. The room was silent for a few long moments.

Was there any hope for Uriel?

* * *

"I guess this goodbye for a while" Ariel stated while hugging each of her family members. They were all heading back to the sea to Atlantica.

"For a while....Wait, Ariel," The king stopped his daughter for a moment before she hugged him.

"What is it daddy?" Her father handed her something. It was a gold chain with a small, trident shaped, pendant.

"Give it to Uriel. As my birthday present to him." Ariel gave her dad a big hug.

"I will and i promise I will tell him everything I can about you all. Maybe, like Arista said, he'll grow out of it, and when (or if) he does, he can see you again." Her father smiled at her.

"Goodbye Ariel. I'll miss you."

"You say that all the time"

"And I always do"

**

* * *

**

**My Special Words (or not)**

Wow....bummer.

Okay so i decided to call the song Uriel's song! *sarcastic tone* So original right?

Anyways, so this song was co-written, or actually I should say, mostly written by xJadeRainx. THANK YOU!!

I'm sorry it's not much, or if it's not really good, but I kinda suck at first chapters....eh, I'll live with it. Oh and just as a side note, this story will skip years at times so I hope you don't get confused.

**WARNING : Your computer will self-destruct in 5 min if you don't REVIEW!! 4:59, 4:58, 4:57, HURRY!! 4:55......**


	2. Stirrings of Hate

"Prince Uriel! Come back this instant!"

"No!" The small prince took a sharp left turn as he ran from his nurse. He ran as fast as his little three year old legs could take him. He looked back and saw his teenage nurse turn the corner.

"Uriel!" The girl caught up with the prince and swiftly picked him up from the ground. He began to kick her in order to be released but the girl held on.

"L-leme go!"

"No Uriel. You can't see your mother now. She's.....busy" What happened next, the nurse was totally unprepared for. Uriel bit her. "Ah! You little brat!" Uriel just smiled and fell on the floor. He proceeded to lay himself down and he closed his eyes. The girl stamped her foot. "Fine! Play dead, but it just means that you're not going any where." She nodded her head and crossed her arms.

Uriel raised his head and blinked his big blue eyes at her. "I wan my mah...." The prince began to talk when he was only nine months old and he still really pronounce words with the letter t in them.

"Oh Uriel....you can't see her, she's with Carlotta right now. Soon you'll have a brother or a sister, you know." The truth was, the Queen had gone into labor just an hour ago and Uriel had been looking for her since then. Uriel shook his head.

"I don wanna brother!" The prince complained as she helped him up. The nurse dusted him off.

"Maybe you'll get a sister. Now come on, let's go see if Chef Louis will let Alexandre play with you." Uriel's face lit up like a light and his smile was just as bright. Alexandre was his best friend.

"Okay!"

* * *

"Bonjour Kasy!" Chef Louis exclaimed as he held his son up high to put the last candle onto a cake. "Good afternoon Prince Uriel" Uriel smiled at the chef's accent. He always said his name funny. Alexandre turned his head and smiled.

"Hi Uriel!" When the chef put him down Alex waved madly at his friend and Uriel did the same.

"Hi Alex! Do you wanna play?" Alex turned to his father.

"Papa je peux jouer avec le prince Uriel?"

"Oui vous pouvez" Alex turned back to the prince with a smile.

"My dad says yes."

"Come on!" Uriel grabbed Alex's arm and pulled him out of the Kitchen. Kasy smiled and shook her head.

"The Prince is going to be the death of me."

"Oh don't say that. Ze Prince is only a child. It's is to be expected". The young nurse rubbed her arm where Uriel bit her.

"That's true...Louis?"

"Oui?"

"What will happen to Uriel.....if his sibling is a boy....a healthy one?" Louis looked at her suddenly, with sad looking eyes.

"I don't......Je ne sais pas..."

"Do you think the Kingdom will be taken away from him?" Louis turned his head and continued to look at the cake he and his son made together.

"Ze people.....zey don't like sick Kings.....Zey need a strong leader." Kasy sighed and lifted herself onto a table and began to kick her legs back and forth.

"It's all he talks to me about you know. Ruling the Kingdom, making it better for everyone.....he's got some great ideas too, for a three year old........It's all he has. Well that and Alex." Louis smiled at this. Alexandre and Uriel only knew each other for only five months and they're the greatest of friends. "So...uh...what's the cake for?"

"It is to celebrate ze new baby of course! Alexandre helped me too, what a little protege!" Louis looked so proud that Kasy had to laugh. Ah proud fathers.....

* * *

"Échec et mat à nouveau, Alex. You are improving though." Uriel stated as he finished off the game of chess. Alex pouted.

"No fair! You win all the time!" He said with a small voice. Then he smiled. "You are gettin better with your fwench too!" Uriel taught Alex chess and Alex taught Uriel french It was the coolest deal a three year old could make with another three year old at the time.

"Yeah....." Alex watched as Uriel's face turned to the only window in the room. It was a small window, of course, because it was Uriel's room. His first room had no windows at all, and his room now had one small window, yet Uriel loved to look out it. It was all he was allowed to do. Look, not touch. Look at the outside, the fresh air, the plants, the animals, the ocean, but he was not allowed to touch. As Uriel stared out the window he began to twist around the trident shaped pendant that hung around his neck since he could remember, and he had a faraway look.

"Uriel, are you 'kay?" Alex asked with concern. Uriel glanced in his friend's direction for a quick second.

"Je vais bien"

"No."

"'Kay."

"'Kay? What's wong?" Uriel turned to look at Alex again.

"I know the smell of the sea. Smells...."

"Salé?"

"Yeah....Salé.....Mah smells like that.....some days....My grandpa lives there....that's what mah told me.....I wanna go see the ocean" Alexandre looked at his friend with sad eyes. He knew that for some reason, Uriel could not go outside.

"Uriel...." Alex found that he couldn't say anything. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Uriel called out in his little voice. He saw his doors open to reveal his dad. His father was smiling brightly and his eyes seemed to be laughing. Uriel's stomach had a sinking feeling in it. Whenever his father got this happy, something bad would happen to Uriel. Like the time he got really happy he was going to see some old friend somewhere, he and Ariel left Uriel in the palace alone to be handled by Kasy, not that it was really bad or anything, it was just that Uriel was not allowed to go with them and was locked up in the same boring palace. Or the time Eric got happy that his boat was fixed and wanted to take it out for a while and Uriel was not allowed to go.

"Uriel, do you want to see your new sibling?" Uriel noticed that his father didn't say 'see your new sister' or 'see your new brother' and that didn't really go well with the three year old's appetite. He slowly nodded though inside he was screaming 'NO!'

Eric crossed the room in a few strides and swiftly picked up his first son. He hugged him close and was happy. His life couldn't really be anymore perfect. He had another son and he was already so proud of his first son. Eric turned his attention to Alexandre. "Alexandre, would you like to come too?" Uriel sent a look of silent plea to Alex and the kid nodded. The small child took Eric's finger and let him guide him to his Queen and the new babe.

* * *

As soon as Uriel entered the room, he heard his mother's beautiful humming. Uriel still did not understand how that was possible. How could a sound be beautiful, if you couldn't see it? However, when his mother sung, he understood a bit. It filled your heart with such feelings and it was just pleasant to the ears. As he looked on, he saw his mother cradling a small bundle. She looked up with her ocean blue eyes and smiled at him. He forced a smile back. He loved his mother, really, but she and his father just had to have another kid.

He also saw that Carlotta was in the room wiping tears of joy from her eyes and Kasy looking extremely upset (Only Uriel could tell though), he saw that Grimsby was there too, smiling like a fool, and Max had his front paws on the bed, on which his mother lay.

"Hey Uriel.....Say hi to Orpheus, your little brother" Uriel was brought over, and placed onto his mother's lap, and he looked to the bundle named 'Orpheus'.

In the blanket was a baby, his hair was soft and a weird color. It was black but the light made it have green highlights. His eyes were wide open as he stared around his new world. when his emerald green eyes met Uriel's ocean blue eys, he gave a little giggle.

"Orpheus?" Uriel's voice was weak with fear. He sensed something about the babe.

This babe.....he was blessed. He was blessed with perfect health, somehow Uriel sensed it. How could this baby be blessed with such a wonderful gift while Uriel was cursed? Cursed to be imprisoned in the palace walls? How could fate be so cruel?

Orpheus reached a small hand out to Uriel, and the three year old did his best to resist the urge to draw back, and allowed the babe to grab his finger. The little babe continued to pull on his brother's finger, as if waiting to see what would happen.

"He's strong...."Uriel muttered as he watched his healthy brother pull his finger into his toothless mouth and he bit down. When Uriel pulled away, the baby began to cry and Uriel placed his finger back to quiet little Orpheus. "He's loud too"

* * *

Ariel just smiled at her two sons. Uriel seemed to be taking it rather well so far and Orpheus seemed to adore his older brother already.

* * *

Eric was beaming sunlight. He knew that Orpheus was going to be healthy and he was positive that Uriel was gong to get along well with him. Boy, was he wrong.

* * *

Kasy was heartbroken. What was going to happen to her little brat? What was going to happen to _her _little brother?

* * *

Carlotta was positively joyful. The King and Queen's first healthy baby! Who wouldn't be happy?

* * *

Grimsby was happy too. He just didn't like all the crying. Prince Uriel hadn't cried that much. Prince Uriel had never cried.

* * *

Alex watched the brothers interact with a concerned look. Something wasn't right, the look in Uriel's eyes. He looked angry, or sad, or maybe frustrated. Only Alex was able to tell what was wrong with his friend.

* * *

Max barked with happiness. One more member to the family! The more the merrier!

* * *

Uriel felt something stir in his heart as he looked at his little brother. It wasn't love, love was a warm and prickly feeling in his heart. This feeling was hard and cold. It was angry. It was hate.

**

* * *

**

**My special words (or not)**

Wow.....Uriel and Alex are the most intelligent three year olds I have ever met. How about you?

Oh by the way, the French in this chapter, was made by Google Translate, so I apologize if I got anything wrong.

What did you think of this chapter? Comments?

**Review or else I'll put another dynamite in your computer! Mwahahahaha!!**


	3. Desire For Love

The next few days were hell for Uriel.

His parents barely paid attention to him, and Louis took Alexandre away for the weekend. Also, his nurse, Kasy was away in France visiting her older brothers. Uriel was alone. Alone in a room with one window and a chess table. That was all that was in his room. A bed, a nightstand, and a chess table right next to the window. It seemed lonely too. Depressing.

He spent three days like that. Alone in the dark. He didn't eat, except for the times Carlotta came in and forced him to eat something. How could he eat when there was another person replacing him?

He knew that was going to happen. His parents went out with baby Orpheus, to his grandfather, and during that time Uriel walked the palace halls and he overheard a couple of servants talking.

_

* * *

_

_Uriel walked around the halls looking for something to do. As he turned a corner to another hallway, he heard two servants come out of the ballroom. The prince decided to hide behind a wall, hoping to surprise the two, but he heard them talking about someone. He heard them mention his name._

_"Did you hear?" one of them said._

_"Hear what?"_

_"About Prince Orpheus, duh!"_

_"What about him?"_

_"He's a perfectly healthy babe!"_

_"I should hope so."_

_"Do you understand what it means for us?" Uriel held his breath, he dreaded the next words that might come out._

_"What does it mean for us?" the second voice asked confused._

_"It means, we won't have a sick king! Orpheus will take the throne!"_

_"But Uriel is the eldest...." Uriel silently agreed with that input. What was left for him if he couldn't become king?_

_"But he cannot go outside. No one in the kingdom wants a sick king. They don't want a weak king and when they know for sure, Orpheus is healthy and has no complications, it will be sung in the streets. All hail King Orpheus!" Uriel felt like something just ripped into his chest._

_"I suppose so......what will happen to Prince Uriel?"_

_"Who cares?" upon hearing this, Uriel ran from his hiding spot and locked himself in his room. How could it be true? What is left for him? Who cared?_

* * *

Now here the boy was, hiding under his covers, away from the storm that hit a few hours ago. His mother and father, and little brother, came back from their trip; soaking wet. Orpheus was cleaned up and put to bed in the nursery, and his parents went to bed a few moments ago, after kissing him goodnight.

The truth was, after Ariel and Eric left Uriel to sleep, the boy had a nightmare.

In his dream, he was standing on a balcony, enjoying the breeze and then something called out to him. It was the ocean, but then he moved towards it, falling off the balcony, which transformed into a huge cliff and under him, were terrifying waves crashing on jagged boulders. The large rocks and the sea looked like it wanted to devour him and he woke with a start.

He was still shaking and it was then he decided to pay his parents a visit.

* * *

Ariel's head just hit her comfy pillow when there was a knock on the door. She looked to her husband with tired eyes. Who could be knocking on the door this late?

"Eric..."She groaned as there was another knock. She heard her husband sigh.

"Who is it?" He called out in a tired voice. It took them at least an hour to get Orpheus to sleep and the storm from before had tired them out.

"Mah? Dah?" They could hear a tiny, muffled voice. Ariel shot up immediately. She knew it was Uriel. What could have caused her baby to be up at this time of night?

"Eric, honey, let him in!"

"That's what I was doing. Geez" Eric rolled his eyes as he teased his wife. He opened the doors to see a small three year old shaking like a leaf and clutching his moon print blanket in his hands. He looked pale, but that shouldn't be a surprise, he was usually pale from lack of sun.

"Uriel! What's wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

"I h-had a-a b-b-bad d-dream" He managed to stutter out. Ariel looked at her shaking son and felt like a bad parent. for the past few days, she had all her attention on her new baby.

"Uriel, do you want to sleep with us?" the boy slowly nodded.

"Come on..." Eric grabbed his son's hand and led him to the bed. He lifted Uriel up and when the boy was on the bed, he crawled to his mother's side. Eric climbed into the other side of the bed and Uriel felt happy again. He enjoyed the warmth of his parents bodies, protecting him. He felt protected, like he always did when he was with his parents.

"Mah, will you tell me a story? About grandfather?" he asked with a small voice. He heard his mother give a tired laugh.

"Sure." She sat up and placed Uriel on her lap. Eric was too exhausted to move so he just stayed where he was. "Okay....hm....where should I start? Let's see.....Once upon a time, there was a merman named Poseidon, and his wife was named Tetra, and they had this little merboy name Triton and-" Ariel's story was interrupted by loud crying that came from somewhere in the palace. Uriel heard his father groan.

"It's Orpheus. He's awake again...." Eric weakly lifted himself up and began to walk to the door.

"I'll come with you. you can never get him to sleep." Ariel suggested as she placed Uriel back onto the bed.

"I try" with that Eric disappeared from the room and Ariel soon followed, and Uriel was left alone. Again.

He felt like crying. His mother just left him with out saying anything. _Maybe she forgot? _He tried telling himself as he left the room to go to the nursery.

* * *

When the small three year old found the nursery he saw his parents trying to calm down a crying, Orpheus.

"Shhh.....quiet little guy. Please go to sleep" Eric whined as he walked right passed Uriel. Ariel took Orpheus from her love and began to sing something to him.

_"Baby, please, rest your head" _She started.  
_"Now it is, time for bed"_ Eric added. Uriel watched in sadness and in jealousy, as his parents sang to Orpheus. _"Twinkle, Twinkle, How time flys"_

_"Slowly in the stary sky!" _

_"Baby, please,"_ Eric held Orpheus close to him, _"close your eyes" _

Ariel laughed as she sang the next part_. "Your as sweet as apple pies"_

Uriel's hear kept sinking the more they sang. It hurt even more when they sang in harmony.

_"As we grow, and love, and play  
In my heart, you'll always stay  
So sleep and dream the night away"_

Orpheus was soon asleep and when Ariel and Eric put him in his crib, they never noticed their three year old son who sat in a corner with his moon print blanket. When he saw his mother and father kiss Orpheus goodnight and leave the room, he looked to Orpheus's crib.

_"Baby, please, rest your head," _Uriel layed himself on the floor and wrapped his blanket tight around him._ "Now it is time for bed," _His eyes filled with tears as he remembered the way his parents forgot him, _"please stop," _he clutched his blanket tighter and he found that, in a few seconds, for the first time in his life, tears rolled down his cheeks, _"don't you see I want mah and dah for me?"_

**

* * *

**

**My special words (or not)**

This chapter made me sad......I feel so bad for little Uriel!

The song used in this chapter is called Dil-a-bye and it was in The Rugrats Movie!

Actually this chapter was inspired by the scene in the movie in which the parents sing to baby Dil. So sad... T_T


	4. Orpheus's Cry

死_? _He heard this word before.....he knew it so well.

"Shi?" He looked up at his nurse as he asked. She nodded.

"Do you know what shi means, Uriel?" Kasy asked him, and he looked at the paper again. A few weeks ago, Uriel decided he wanted to learn Japanese. Why? No one knew.

The boy nodded. He's been thinking of the word for a long while now.

"Well?" Kasy prodded.

"Death. Shi, means death in Japanese."

* * *

Seven months have passed since Orpheus's birth and everything was pretty calm. Well....sorta.

Lately, some.....strange thoughts plagued Uriel's head. It has happened since two moths ago when two servants were found dead.

* * *

_"Ahhhhh!" an ear piercing scream echoed through the halls and into Uriel's room. Alex and the prince looked up from their game and to the Prince's nurse who was keeping an eye on them. They remained silent, until another scream was heard._

_"Kasy, what's going on?" Alex asked fearful. Kasy looked afraid too._

_"Both of you stay here for a moment." She looked at Uriel. "Please listen to what I say" Uriel nodded and when Kasy turned his back he shook his head. Alex almost laughed but Uriel covered his mouth._

_"Shh" He and his best friend stood up and quietly followed Kasy out the door. _

_She walked fast, and in seconds, another girl crashed into her, sobbing._

_"Angel! What happened?!" Kasy asked the sobbing girl._

_"I-i-it was horrible! All the-the-blood!" She cried into Kasy's dress._

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"In the boiler room!" She shrieked. Uriel put a finger to his chin. He knew where the boiler room was......what was so bad in there?_

_He turned and began to run in the direction of the room, and Alex struggled to keep up._

_"Where are you going?" he didn't have to ask....not really."Uriel!" he huffed as the two turned the corner._

_"What's wrong in the boiler room?"_

_"I have a feeling that we're not supposed to find out...." Uriel stopped and looked at his friend with unreadable eyes._

_"Well....I want to find out....if you don't, then stay here" he then took off, not bothering to look back. He didn't need to. He knew Alex was following him._

_

* * *

_

_When they reached the small boiler room, the door was wide open. When the two children entered the room, they met a most gruesome sight._

_From the ceiling, hung a rope, and at the end of that rope, was a body. A servants body._

_On the floor, was another body, the wrists on the body were slit open and so was the neck, and blood was everywhere._

_Alex covered his mouth in horror, as Uriel's eyes widened in fascination. He looked at the blood, he had never seen it before. He had never bled before, so it was weird seeing it. He walked over to the male body on the floor and stared hard at his face. He knew the guy._

_He was the servant, whose family was lost in a fire, and the other male......hanging from the ceiling.....was.....his brother._

_Uriel suddenly felt his hand being pulled by Alex. "Uriel, let's go! I don't wanna be here anymore!" The boy was a little confused and afraid of the strange look in the prince's eyes when he observed the bodies. It was amazement, and he looked intrigued with the bodies._

_"....Could it be that easy?" Uriel mumbled._

_"H-huh?"_

_"To take your own life? Is it that easy?" Alex looked at Uriel in a weird way. His friend's eyes were dark and cloudy, like a storm over the ocean. It was like it wasn't even Uriel. _

_Before Alex could give a reply, Uriel was covered by a flash of arms and bright red hair, and so was Alex._

_"Oh Uriel! My baby! What are you doing here?!" The queen exclaimed. Her son and Alex....they were not supposed to see this mess. It was too much, even for her, to handle._

_Carlotta held a crying Alex. The poor thing......he just saw something that will most likely scar him for the rest of his life. _

_However, Alex wasn't crying about the bodies, or the blood. He was crying about the thoughts that had entered his friend's mind._

* * *

Uriel are you okay?" Kasy asked as she noticed the boy staring out his window again.

"Yes I am." His speech improved over the few months his brother was born and even his hair grew longer. It reached below his ears and was constantly falling in his eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes.....No. Not really. Kasy, I need help." Kasy looked at the boy confused.

"With what?" Uriel slid off of his seat and walked over to his nightstand and pulled out a stack of papers. They were blueprints. He handed a couple of pages to Kasy and she stared at them in confusion. "What is it?"

"It's a machine that allows people who can't breathe underwater, travel deep into the ocean in a safe environment. The problem I have is, I have no idea on how to run it. I could use oil or something like that, but I don't want to pollute the water. I was wondering if I could somehow, let it run on the water. Let the water around it be its fuel, to move it forward, but then somehow recycle the water so that it goes right back into the ocean. I also don't want the machine to spring leaks. Do you have any input?" By the end of the explanation, Kasy's eyes had little swirls in them.

"W-what? Uriel, you know that you're like a brother to me, but please, please, don't ask me about machines or anything like that. You need to ask a scientist."

"But.....that would require me to find a scientist, and that would mean finding one outside of these castle walls.........I can't do that now can I?"

Kasy swallowed. Uriel was toying with her. He did things like that lately, made everyone feel bad. There something was inside him that was dark, something angry, and no one knew what it was.

Uriel looked down. "Sorry......I'm sorry Kasy." He got up, and rolled up the blueprints to put them away. He looked at her again. "I'm going to breakfast"

Kasy looked after him for a while and decided to walk him to the dinning room. When she grabbed his hand he looked up at her and she knew that inside, he was still a three year old, who wants love and his family.

* * *

Uriel watched in confusion as baby Orpheus began to make shapes with his food. The little baby picked up a piece of his toast and ripped it so that it became two small triangles. He proceeded to take the triangles and placed them over his omelet, next he used two blueberries to make something like eyes. After he was done, he clapped his small hands together and giggled. Uriel looked over and saw that his brother had created a cat's face out of food.

"Mah, Little Brother made a cat." he didn't have to say 'Mah' or 'Dah' anymore, it was just a habit that stayed. "He might be an artist"

Eric put down the morning's paper, and looked at his sons. "Uriel, don't you think that you should start to call Orpheus by his name, instead of Little Brother?"

"Why?" The eldest son answered a question with a question.....how nice. Ariel ignored the two as she helped Orpheus actually eat the food.

"Because......it's not his name."

"But he _is _my little brother, is he not?" Eric stared at Uriel. He didn't understand what was wrong with his son. He had begun to develop, some sort of an attitude with every one around him. The King gave a sigh and rubbed his temples.

"He is your little brother, however, Little Brother, is not his name. It would be more appropriate if you called him Orpheus."

"Fine." Uriel turned away from his father and looked at his mother. "Mah, may I play with _Orpheus _after breakfast?"

Ariel smiled at him. It was one of the most kindest smiles that she could ever give. "Sure why not? Just promise me that you'll stay in the nursery with him."

Uriel looked at his mother with a solemn face and put his hands behind his back. "I promise that I will stay in the nursery with baby Orpheus." he smiled back at his mother as two of his fingers on hi right hand twisted around each other.

* * *

"He's doing it again, Uriel"

"I know" Two boys were watching the baby stack up building blocks in odd ways and taking them apart to just build all over again. Alex watched as Orpheus built a model of the palace with the wooden blocks. After he was finished, he seemed to look at his older brother for approval.

"Say something to him" Alex whispered to his friend.

"Like what?! _Hey good job, I've never seen the outside of this place, so it's really nice to learn from you? _I don't think so!" Uriel fiercely whispered back. Orpheus continued to look at him and Uriel shifted uncomfortably. "......You did a good job. Smart" Just then, Orpheus's eyes lit up, like a thousand candles and went back to work, improving the structure of the blocks.

"See? He left you alone. I think he really likes you." Alex commented.

"Well I wouldn't know what you think. I'm not a mind reader......."a moment of silenced passed. It was awkward and tense. "Sorry, Alex....I didn't mean to snap at you......"

"I know. You've been moody lately, it's Orpheus still, isn't it?"

"You know" Uriel knew about the weird connection Alex had with him. It was always there, but just recently Uriel accepted it. For some reason, Alex always knew what he was thinking. Alex knew of the terrible thoughts that infected Uriel's mind like a virus. Alex sighed and opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted.

"Alexandre!"

"I'll see you later Uriel, my father is calling me." He waved to his friend and Uriel gave a weak wave. Just before Alex exited the room, he turned around. "Uriel, don't do anything you'll regret."

"I won't!" the prince called out. Alex had a feeling Uriel was lying.

Once his best friend left the room, Uriel stared at his younger brother. He was already smart, that was obvious. How many babies could make a model of the kingdom, using blocks? The younger boy also had a good imagination, the thing at breakfast showed that. How long would it take for him to be good at other things too? Soon there would be no need for Uriel......no use for him.

It could be that easy, he realized. It would be as simple as saying 'Bye'. No one would have to worry about, little unstable Uriel. Maybe they'd be sad for a while, but that's it. His father would have a great time forgetting about him, he'd be busy teaching Orpheus all the things he couldn't teach Uriel.

* * *

Orpheus paused building his model to look at his older brother. His dark ocean color eyes were clouded over and he was staring off into space. Orpheus liked his older brother. He was smart and cool. The babe couldn't wait to get older so he could talk with him.

* * *

Uriel caught his little brother staring at him. He then had a terrible thought. Why should _he _be the one to go? Why shouldn't _Orpheus _be the one. Without Orpheus, the Kingdom would have no choice but to accept _him _as King. It was a great plan. Get rid of his little brother and continue his studies to become the greatest king the Kingdom had ever seen. Yes. That was it.

* * *

Uriel struggled with Orpheus, as he fastened the knot in the rope that now connected the two at the waist. Orpheus kept falling down whenever Uriel stood him up and that made it hard to tie the rope.

"I'm gonna take you on a walk Little Brother, how does that sound?" Uriel asked as he finished admiring his work. Orpheus gave a small giggle as an answer and Uriel gave him a sick smile. "I hope it's as fun for you as it's going to be for me."

* * *

Carlotta was humming to herself when she saw the two princes pass by. Uriel was in the lead, marching like a soldier while, little Orpheus, attached to his older brother by a rope, crawled on all fours, occasionally trying to walk. She smiled at Uriel when he noticed her looking.

"Good morning Carlotta" he said in a cheerful voice.

"Good morning Prince Uriel. Um....might I ask, what are you doing?" Uriel was a bit caught off guard, and blinked slowly. Suddenly he regained his composure and smiled sweetly at the housekeeper.

"I'm teaching Orpheus how to walk." Uriel stated and under his breath he added "Right off a balcony"

Carlotta put a finger to her lips in a worried manner. "But Uriel, dear, don't you thing Orpheus is a bit....um....young for that?" Uriel looked at his younger brother who attempted to stand again.

"No, I think he's at the perfect age to learn."

"Okay then.....have a good time!" When Uriel and Orpheus went on their way, Carlotta reminded herself to tell Kasy to keep an eye on those two.

* * *

"Dad, should we add a bit more sugar?" the small boy asked as he peered into the dark brown batter he and his father created. Chef Louis looked at the brownie batter suspiciously before testing a small spoon.

"Hmm......Oui. I believe zat we do need more sugar." Louis ruffled hi son's long black hair. "I also believe zat, you, my little protege, are need of a hair cut."

Alex put his hands over his head in horror. "Non!" Louis laughed at his son's reaction.

"Oui, oui. Maybe not today, but soon." Louis laughed again and they both smiled at each other until there was a knock on the door. Louis turned around and saw his king standing there wearing an amused expression. Chef Louis clumsily bowed down, knocking over a few pots and pans in the process. "Hello King Eric! Anything I can assist you with?"

Eric laughed. "No. Not really. Who are you making those brownies for, Louis?"

"Zey're for John and Amelie, to congratulate them on their new son." The Chef answered while straightening out his suit.

"Ah yes. He was born four months ago right? They named him Lucas." Eric remembered the look on John's face when he told them. He was so proud and happy. Eric understood what it felt like, but John was old and he wasn't sure how the guy would deal with handling the boy when he was a teen.

"Amelie is having a hard time trying to calm John down. He is so happy." Louis added.

"Speaking of proud fathers, Alexandre, do you have any idea about where my eldest son might be? I checked in the nursery, but he was not there."

Alex didn't meet his king's eyes."Non." Alex sensed that there was something going terribly wrong at the moment and he wasn't sure what. He was to far away from Uriel to know.

"Are you sure? I wanted to give him something...." Eric looked at the young boy. Alex cracked.

"He's at the large balcony that faces the ocean. He didn't go out though, he's just walking around with Orpheus" the boy quickly added when he saw the look of horror pass over the king's face.

Eric nodded in the child's direction and then in Louis's direction."Thank you Alexandre, Louis I'll see you around." With those words, Eric exited the room and headed straight for the balcony.

* * *

Uriel stared hard at his brother's wide emerald colored eyes. He was at the door of the balcony and some weird force had made him stop his homicidal quest to think it over.

What would he accomplish by killing Orpheus? An entire grieving Kingdom that will never belong to him. His parents were still young and it was almost guaranteed that they were going to have more children, perhaps, more boys and most likely they'll all be healthy.

What would happen if he killed his brother and his parents found out? Would it be ruled out as an accident, or would they let a three year old be charged with murder?

"Oowiel" Uriel looked at his brother in confusion. What in the world did he just say? "Oowiel" Orpheus managed to say again.

"What? What are you saying? Are you even saying anything?" Orpheus smiled and giggled. Uriel grew impatient and annoyed. "What is it you little brat?"

"Oowiel!" Uriel shook his head. He figured that his brother was just making useless sounds again. Why did grown ups like babies so much? They can't do anything, and they're not that smart. Then again, Uriel had been like that not that long ago.

Uriel sighed. Stupid baby. Maybe he was just acting out of jealousy. Maybe he didn't _really _hate Orpheus. But.....Orpheus made his life a living hell so far. How could he not hate the babe? How could he? After all Orpheus was just a baby.

"Oowiel!" The baby cried again, happily. Uriel smirked. He was just going to have to accept the fact that Orpheus was his brother and future king. He just needs to find someplace for himself.

"Maybe when you're older I can teach you how to play chess." At this the baby gave another giggle. Uriel shook his head. "You laugh to much." The three year old looked at the balcony again and sighed. "I wonder.....I want to go out just this once."

Orpheus noticed the clouds in his brother's eyes again. It was like he was in a trance. He began to crawl after Uriel when he decided to move torwards the balcony.

* * *

After a while Orpheus wanted to stop. Something told him that they weren't supposed to be outside and his brother's odd behavior did nothing but amplify the worry.

* * *

Uriel smiled to himself as he opened the doors to the balcony. When the air hit him, he smiled even wider. It smelled salty, just like the ocean.

When he walked to the middle of the balcony with Orpheus trailing behind him, he heard a weird _pop!_, that went through his body. He didn't think that was very good, but he ignored it as he continued to walk to the railing of the high place. He felt the wind whip his hair around and when he breathed in the air, something clutched his heart. Every time he took a breath, his heart seemed to be squeezed with even more force that it started to hurt. He ignored it.

* * *

"Nah!" Orpheus yelled out when he saw his brother cough. A weird dark liquid fell from Uriel's lips and onto the ground. Orpheus was horrified when his brother continued walking forward draging him along.

* * *

Uriel coughed up more blood but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming joy that overcame him as he realized that he was _outside_. _Outside_, for the first time in his life. He even climbed up so that he could see the ocean better.

It was just.....so blue. He also knew that somewhere, within the depths of the ocean, his grandfather lived in his kingdom of Atlantica, with his aunts and cousins.

"Nah!" He could barely hear his brother. Why was he crying? "Oowiel!" Orpheus cried again.

* * *

Orpheus saw something happen to the rope that connected him to his older brother. As Uriel moved forward, part of the rope became thinner and Orpheus realized that it was breaking. The suddenly, he saw Uriel slip.

* * *

Uriel gripped hard onto the railing of the balcony, as he hung on for life. He looked up, and all he could see was the blue sky and then suddenly he saw his baby brother's face. "Little Brother, get back!" Uriel couldn't even begin to think about what would happen, if both he and his brother were found hurt.

* * *

Orpheus did as he was told and at the same time he pulled hard on the rope. Maybe he could pull his older brother up to safety?

* * *

Uriel tried hard to pull himself up, and when he was back onto the edge of the railing he coughed again and loss his balance. He cried out in horror.

* * *

Orpheus continued to try to pull his brother to safety, even though he wasn't very strong. What was going to happen? He couldn't see Uriel any more but felt the large weight on the other side of the rope and cried out again.

* * *

As his life hung on a rope, Uriel realized that he did not want to die. He wanted to live. he wanted to live so badly that it hurt even more to breathe. He tried hard to pull himself back up again, but the rope was quickly breaking. He looked up again and saw his little brother. He was crying.

"Orpheus, get back. Please!" He begged. Suddenly, Uriel felt the rope snap, and in those few moments that he fell, he heard his brother yell.

"Uriel!"

It was only when he hit the ground with a sickening crack, that he understood what had just happened.

_

* * *

_

_Oh. So that's what he was saying. He was saying my name. His first word was my name. Smart Orpheus. You're a smart baby_

**

* * *

**

**My Special Words (or not)**

Sorry for not updating sooner! My father is repainting the kitchen in our house and he keeps kicking me out of the house, so I couldn't really update this or Misunderstood Melodies.

Please forgive me!


	5. He is my beloved rival

"Uriel!" The voice was loud in his ears. His head pounded and he groaned and turned over.

"He's okay... Oh, thank goodness!" He heard someone start to cry and he felt himself being lifted. "Uriel, oh my baby!"

_Mah?_ He forced his eyes to open and found himself looking into two large, sea blue eyes, brimming with tears. "Mommy?" His own voice sounded so far away. _What happened mommy?_ The words wouldn't come out of his mouth. He knew what happened. He slipped off the balcony.

Ariel hugged her son tight and rocked back and forth. "My baby, my baby, you're okay.." Uriel began to shake in her arms and she looked at him to see his eyes shut tightly with tears running down his cheek. "Shh.. It's okay Uriel.. You're okay, my son."

He looked up, his eyes full of fear and sadness. "Are you mad at me mommy? Are you mad I didn't listen and I broke my promise?"

"What?" Ariel looked down in confusion. "Oh no baby, I'm not mad at you! I'm just so glad you're okay!" She smoothed his hair back and kissed his bandaged forehead. Her eyes became serious, "but Uriel, please don't ever scare your father and I like that again!" The small boy buried his head into her and cried harder.

"I won't!" He promised as his father watched standing a little bit away.

Eric leaned against the wall in the infirmary contemplating over the sequence of events that had recently passed. After running out of the kitchen and to the balcony, he found Orpheus crying loudly out on the balcony. The small baby just kept pointing out and crying out "Uriel!".

The king shuddered at the image that burned in his mind. When he reached his eldest son, he saw that his little boy's arm was bent at an unnatural angle and blood began to pool around his head. Eric remembered how his chest tightened as he lifted the boy into his arms and raced to the infirmary, he felt as if he himself was going to faint. He couldn't bear the thought of his son dying and his only goal at that moment was to get him to safety.

Following his arrival at the infirmary and allowing the doctor to tend to Uriel, Ariel decided to show up. She was immediately and severely concerned over her son's appearance and ran to his side. She cried and asked how it happened. Eric didn't know how it happened, Uriel was not supposed to leave the nursery, he promised, and even though Eric ordered some of the palace guards to frequently check the area, not one of them had realized the disappearance of his boys. Someone was going to get fired, that's for sure.

Soon after the doctor put the toddler's arm in a cast, they expected Uriel to wake up. It was a foolish thing to hope for so soon after the incident but it was a hope. However, Uriel did not wake up, and he didn't wake up for several days. Eric spent those days shut up in his study, pacing back and forth hoping that the next person to knock on his door would be the doctor bringing good news of his son. But it didn't happen that way. The next time someone knocked on his study door, he received some news that he wasn't quite prepared for.

* * *

_Knock. Knock._

_Two quick, soft raps to his door made him sop his absent-minded pacing and turn to the door. "Come in," he called out a little hoarsely. He sighed when his beautiful wife stepped in and closed the door behind her. "Oh, Ariel.. I thought you might have been the doctor."_

_Ariel gave a light teasing smile. "The doctor? At this late hour? Do you wish to tell me something Eric?" Her husband simply gave a light chuckle and embraced his wife lovingly._

"_I'm just concerned about Uriel. The doctor said he should wake up any moment now, and I'm just waiting. What is it Ariel? Did you come here to tell me something?" He raised an eyebrow when his wife glanced down._

"_What? What makes you say that? I just came to see you. You haven't been yourself lately and I'm worried Eric."_

_Eric looked down, "I'm terrified of losing my son, Ariel. I'm tired of losing people close to me."_

"_And you don't think I'm terrified too, Eric? You just left me and decided to run into our study like you always do when things aren't going your way!" Ariel huffed into his chest angrily. Eric pulled away and kept his hands on her waist. He kissed her lips softly and pulled her close back to him._

"_I'm sorry," he murmured into her hair. "It's just how I deal with things."_

"_I wish you wouldn't do that. Try to deal with it alone. It's better to have someone to go through it with. Don't leave me alone Eric," she looked up at him with loving eyes._

"_I won't," he rubbed her back softly. "Ariel, love, do you want to tell me something?"_

_His lovely wife pulled away from him and put her hands together innocently. "Do you mind taking a seat?" Eric stood firm and crossed his arms._

"_I would rather stand. What's wrong Ariel?"_

_A smile played at her lips and she breathed in. "Um... Well I went to the infirmary yesterday and I received some news.."_

_Eric smiled eagerly. "About Uriel?" His smile slowly faded as his wife shook her head. "No? Then what?"_

_She bit her lips lightly and then gave a bigger smile. "We're having another child!"_

_The king widened his eyes. _Another one? We're having another baby? Wonderful._ It was then that the exhausted king finally passed out with a loud thud on his study floor._

* * *

The young King looked over as Uriel sniffed and suddenly pulled away from his mother with wide, terrified eyes. "Orpheus! Mah, where's Orpheus?"

Eric walked over with a small smile. "Orpheus is fine Uriel. He's in the nursery napping. He didn't want to though, he's worried about you, I can tell," the king gently scooped the child from his wife's arms and kissed his head. "Would you like to see him?"

Uriel looked up at his father with a look of guilt on his face, "yes, please," he finally nodded. Eric looked at his beautiful queen.

"Ariel, do you mind if I have a little alone time with the boys?"

Ariel gave a small smile and pushed back her messy hair, "I don't see why not. But please do be fragile with Uriel." She gave a small giggle at her husband's eye roll and lay down on the infirmary cot after the left.

She was going to have another baby. It wasn't that she wasn't happy, no she was very much happy. She just wondered how it was going to be possible, when she could barely take care of her older son? Uriel was extremely jealous of Orpheus and for good reason. Ariel hadn't been a vary attentive mother. She rolled onto her side and sighed.

She remembered how her older sisters sometimes picked on her when they were children. It was because she was the youngest, and naturally, her parents sometimes paid more attention to her. She shouldn't have ignored Uriel, but the oddly advanced child was able to take care of himself, unlike Orpheus who at the current time is completely dependent upon her.

But that wasn't an excuse to ignore her baby. He still needs to be cuddled, and loved, he was after all, a child and not an adult. "Oh poor Uriel," she sighed to her self, "I'll never leave you alone like that again."

* * *

"Uriel! Uriel" Uriel smiled at his brother's small voice. He didn't hate him. He was a little fond of him actually. Just a moment ago, his father had set him down into Uriel's crib and the babe immediately crawled over to him and clung onto him.

"I'm okay Orpheus. I won't do something like that ever again. I promise," he held out his pinky. Orpheus stared, fascinated by the finger. Uriel giggled and wrapped it around the baby's own pinky. "Pinky promise Orpheus."

Eric smiled at his two sons and ruffled Uriel's hair softly. "Do you love your brother Uriel?" The boy looked at him and scrunched up his nose.

"I wouldn't say _that_. He's grown on me, that's for sure," his face took on an expression of confusion when his father laughed. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking about what a great big brother you're going to be." Eric reached into his pants pocket and pulled out something that caught Uriel's eye. Eric held it up for his son to see.

It was a shiny, silver, pocket watch. Uriel reached out to it and held it in his one good hand. On the front of the watch was a beautiful design, there were waves on the watch, made to mimic the waves of the ocean, crashing against a large jagged rock. Uriel smiled at the person on the rock. It was a beautiful mermaid running her fingers through her hair.

Uriel turned the watch over and was puzzled by the inscription on the back. 'He is my most beloved friend, and my bitterest rival, my confidant, and my betrayer, my sustainer and my dependent, and scariest of all, my equal.' The small boy looked up at his smiling father in confusion. "Dad, I don't understand."

Eric kissed both of his sons and said in a soft tone, "It's alright if you don't understand right now. You'll understand when you're older, I promise you that." The young king pointed to the pocket watch. "Why don't you open it?"

Following his dad's suggestion Uriel opened the pocket watch and saw it ticking. "What?"

"Again," his father prodded. The oldest prince raised an eyebrow before moving the small clock over and revealing another odd thing. It was shaped the same as the clock, however, instead of numbers it had 4 letters where numbers would be. N in the 12 spot, E in the 3 spot, S in the 6 spot, and W in the 9 spot.

"A compass?" Was his father teasing him? He knew that Uriel would never get lost, the boy wasn't aloud to go outside.

"Uriel!" Orpheus cried out and tried reaching for the pocket watch. Uriel pulled the shiny object out of his brothers reach and looked at it more closely.

"Does it open again?" He questioned. Eric reached down and moved the compass open and it revealed a final object. It was a picture, a picture that brought a small smile to the prince's face. It showed the two young princes sitting down in a chair, Orpheus on his older brother's lap laughing, while Uriel wore a scowl on his face. "This is Orpheus and me."

"Yes it is," Eric leaned down to be eye leveled with his son. "I don't know much about having siblings Uriel, I was an only child, so I could only imagine what you're going through," he looked at Orpheus. "But, I know what it's like to have someone you want to protect. Orpheus is your little brother Uriel, and he's going to look up to you. You're going to be his role model, regardless if you want to be or not."

"Dah? Will Orpheus be king?" The older brother looked up, "please be honest."

Eric was dumbfounded. Why was Uriel thinking about such things? "Uriel, is that what you're worried about? Whether or not Orpheus will be king instead of you?" The young father sighed as his son nodded n response. "Uriel, I don't know. I don't even know if _I'll_ still be king tomorrow. Live one day at a time Uriel, and don't think about political power. As long as our family is safe, we have a place to sleep with a roof above our heads, and a positive outlook on life, we're perfectly fine," he reached down and pinched Uriel's cheek lightly. "Understand?" The small boy pulled away and smiled a bit.

"Yes sir," Uriel looked down to his baby brother and smiled widely. His father was right. If he had a positive attitude, then everything will turn out alright. However, now he had a new challenge to face.

He had to be his younger brother's protector and role model.

* * *

**The wise words of Anima!**

Hello peoples! I just had a sudden urge to write another chapter for this story and I would like to point out that it might take a slightly new direction to match up with Misunderstood Hearts.

Besides that, I would also like to point out a few other things.

I understand fully that Uriel's and Orpheus' characters do not really represent the behaviors and intelligence of real life children and babies, but I have a reason for that! I won't reveal it now as it will be revealed in later chapters. But for now, if you can't stand the thought of reading about unrealistic hyper intelligent(they're not that intelligent, just an exaggeration (: ) children, just remind yourself that this is completely fiction based.

Oh and the previous chapter stated John, Lucas' father to be older then Eric, this is now invalid. John is around the same age as Eric, but because I'm too lazy, I will not edit that chapter.

Um... I think that's it! Well enjoy your day(and don't forget to review)!

**Anima out!**

PS.

The inscription on the back of Uriel's pocket watch was a quote by Gregg Levoy!


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